Frank mansfield



(No Model.)

' I. MANSFIELD. ATTACHMENT EOE SPAN WIRES EOE SUSPENDED ELECTRICCCNDUCTOES.

No. 442,232. Patented Dec. 9, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK MANSFIELD, OF NETV YGRII, N. Y.

ATTACHMENT FOR SPAN-WIRES FOR SUSPENDED ELECTRIC CONDUCTORS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,232, dated December9, 1890, Application filed April 26, 1890.. Serial No. 349,607. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK MANsE1ELD,a citizen of the AUnited States,residing at New York, county and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Attachments for Span-Wires forSuspended Electric Conductors, of which the following is such a full,clear, and exact description as will enable any one skilled in the artto which it appertains to make and use thev same, reference being had tothe drawings forming `part of this specification. V

My invention relates to attachments for span-wires which are used inelectric railways for suspending overhead conductors or wires.

The invention has especial reference to means whereby a cross-wire maybe readily raised or lowered and tightened, and means whereby the l1ummin g or buzzin sound given out by the span-wire-supporting poles maybe deadened or destroyed. In the accompanying drawings,illustrating myinvention, Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus looking in thedirection of the length of the suspended conductors, which are notshown. Fig. 2 is aQtop plan View of the apparatus with thesound-deadening device shown in horizontal section.

In the said drawings like numbers of references indicate correspondingparts throughout.

Referringto the drawings, a designates an ordinary pole, which isusually placed at one side of the railway-track for supporting thespan-wire 5, by means of which the workingconduetors are suspended inproper position.

In order to admit of a ready vertical adjustment of the span-wire 5, Iprovide what I term a Creeper, which in the present constructionconsists in a polygonal-shaped block G, the faces 7 of which are curvedso as to conform to the curvature of the pole upon which it is mounted.This block is mounted upon the side of the pole'opposite that approachedby the span-wire, and the horizontal axis of the block about which itrotates is so connected with the span-wire that as the block is rolledup or down on the pole it may accordingly raise or lower the span-wire.In the present construction the block G is provided with an axialperforation 8, through may be which ifs passed a straightened portion ofa looped wire 9, which is disposed horizontally and surrounds the pole,as clearly indicated in the drawings. This loop 9 may obviously beconnected directly to the span-wire 5 or indirectly thereto throughtheintermediate mechanism hereinafter described. There are many simple waysin which the span-wire connected to the axis of the block or creeper sothat the vertical adjustment of the Creeper on the pole may raise orlower the wire.

In overhead systems of electric railways the poles supporting the crossor span wires give out a humming or buzzing noise, which is in partcaused by the vibration of the wires and by the trolleys traveling overthe tightlystrung conductors. This humming noise becomes greater as thetrolleys become worn, and it is a great desideratum that this noise beprevented. To prevent or deaden this humming of the poles, I employ asound-deadening device, or what may be called an antihum, whichconsists, essentially, of a body 10, made of a material that will deadenor prevent the passage of the sound over it, and which is interposed,preferably, in the spanwire connect-ion at a point intermediate the poleand the trolley-wire.

In the construction shown the body 10,which is preferably made of softrubber, is perforated at Il, through which perforation extends a link12, which constitutes a part of the cross-wire 5. Upon the end of link12 is removably mounted by means of the nuts 13 a plate 14, againstwhich one end of the body 10 rests, the other end thereof restingagainst a bracket l5, which is perforated at one end thereof at 16, inorder to receive the link 12, while the other end of the bracket isswiveled or movably connected to the loop 9. By removing nuts 13 andplate 1a the sound-deadening body 10 may easily be removed and replacedby another one in case it should become worn or inefiicient.

In order to readily tighten the span-wire, I have provided the devicenow to be described.

17 and 1S are two members which are crossed on each other and pivoted at19 at such crossing-point, like a pair of scissors. The correspondingends of these members are loosely IOO attached to the end of the link 12by means of eyes formed in the ends of such members and an eye at theend of the link, as clearly indicated in the drawings. One of thesemembers, preferably the member 18, is provided at one end with a drum20, which is suitably mounted thereon, so as to rotate, and this drumhas at each end thereof a ratchet 21, which is engaged by the pawl22,formed on the corresponding end of the member 17. The span-wire 5 iswound upon the drum 20, oneend of the shaft 23 of which is provided withan angle-head adapted to receive a key by means of which the drum may beturned in order to loosen or tighten the span-wire, the pawl 22 actingto retain the drum in its adjusted position. The tension on the wire 5tends to move the shaft 23 of the drum and thepivot 19 into the samehorizontal plane, and this tendency causes the pawl 22, which is pivotedat 19, to press tightly against its ratchet, so that the greater thetension on the span-wire the more firmly will the pawl be held inengagement with the ratchet. This same action may be obtained withouthaving the member 1S- cxtended beyond the pivot lil-that is to say, allof the member 18 may be dispensed with except the portion constitutingthe drum-can rier. There are many ways in which this drum and itsratchet and pawl may be made and the same result obtained.

Having thus described my improvements in attachments for span-wires forsuspended electric conductors, what I claim as my invention, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a device for raising and lowering span-wires, the combination,with a pole, of a horizontally-arranged pol ygonal-shaped block mountedupon the outer face of the pole and adapted to be moved up and downthereon by rotation ofthe block, and a span-wire connected to the block,so as to be vertically adjusted by the movement of the block,substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a device for raising and lowering' span-wires, the combination,with a pole hav ing the outer face thereof rounded, of a polygonalshaped block mounted upon the rounded side of the pole and adapted to berotated on its horizontal axis, so as to be moved up and down on thepole, the faces of the block being curved to conform to the curvature ofthe pole, and a span-wire connected to the block and holding the same inengagement with the pole, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

3. In a device for raising and lowering span-wires, the combination,with a pole, of a block mounted upon` the outer face of the pole andprovided with a horizontal perforation forming the axis of rotationthereof, a horizontal shaft extending through t-he perforation of theblock, and a span-wire connected with the shaftrof the block and holdingthe block in engagement with the pole, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

l. In a device for raising and lowering span-wires, the combination,with a pole having a polygonal-shaped block (5 mounted upon the outerface of the pole and adapted to be rotated to adjust the blockvertically on the pole, and a span-wire 5, connected with the block Gand holding it in engagement with the pole, whereby the verticaladjustment of the block G on the pole may vertically adjust thespan-wire, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a device for raising and lowering span-wires, the combination,with a pole 4, of a polygonal-shaped block t5, formed with a horizontalperforation S and having the faces thereof curved, a loop 9, passedaround the pole and through the perforation S of thc block, and aspan-wire connected with the loop 9,substantialiy as and for the purposeSet forth.

6. In a sound-dcadening device for spanwires for suspended electricconductors, the combination, with the span-wire, of a sounddeadeningbody, such as 10, interposed in the span-wire, so as to prevent thesound from traveling thereover, substantially as and for the purpose Setforth.

7. In a sound-deadening device for spanwires for suspended electricconductors, the combination, with the span-wire having disconnectedoverlapping portions, of an elastic sound-deadening body,such as10,;interposed between the overlapping portions, substantial-ly as andfor the purpose set forth.

8. In a sound-deadening device for spanwires for suspended electricconductors, the combination, with a pole and a bracket l5, attachedthereto, of a span-wire 5, havinga portion thereof overlapping thebracket, and a sound-deadening body 10, interposed between said bracketandthe overlapping portion of the span-wire, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

I). In a sound-deadening device for spanwires for suspended electricconductors, the combination,with a pole anda bracket 15, connectedtherewith and formed with the perforations 1G, of a span-wire 5, havinga portion thereof extending through the perforations 16 of the bracketand overlapping the same, a plate ll, mounted upon the end of theoverlapping' portion of the span-wire 5, and a sound-deadening body 10,interposed between the plate 1l and the bracket 15, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

10. In a device fortighteningwire, the combination, with a swingingmember provided at its free end with a pawl, of a second meinber pivotedto the first and provided at its free end with a drum having a ratchetengaged by the said pawl, and a wire wound upon the drum, wherebytension on the wire may hold the pawl in engagement with the ratchet,substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

11. In a device fortightening Wire,thec0mbination, with two crossedmembers pivoted together at the crossing-point and having a IOO IIO

corresponding end of each hinged to a point, l the free end of onemember being provided 5, attached to the said druni,substantiaily aswith a drum having aratchet and the free end and for the purpose setforth'. of the other member being provided with a 14. Ina device fortightening wire, the com- 5 pawi engaging said ratchet, of awireattached bination, with two swinging members17 and 25 to said drum,substantially as and for the 18, crossed on each other and pivoted at19, purpose set forth. the member 18 being forked at its free end 12. Ina device for tightening wire, the comand provided with a drum 20, havingaratchet bination,with a swinging member 17, having 21, and the member17 being formed at its 1o a pawi 22, of a second member pivoted at 19free end with a pawi 22, engaging said ratchet, 3o to the member 17 andprovided with a drum and awire 5, secured tothe drum 20, substan- 20,having a ratchet 21, engaged by the pawi tially as and for the purposeset forth.

22, and a Wire 5, attached to said drum', sub- In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set the drum, engaged bythe pawi 22, and a wire stantiallyas and for the purpose set forth. my hand and seal, this 22d day ofApril, 1890, 15 13. In a device for tightening wire, the comin thepresence of the two subscribing wit- 3 5 Y--hination,vvith a swingingmember 17, provided nesses.

with a pawl 22, of a second member pivoted F. MANSFIELD. [L 5.] at 19 tothe said member 17 and provided with Vitnesses: a drum 20, having ashaft 23, formed with an v IAUL F. C. TUCKER,

2o angie-head for receivinga key, a ratchet 21 for` IVILLIS FOWLER.

